The Arizona Diamondbacks had their best chance at a comeback, but Zac Gallen's rough start proved too much to overcome. Despite a valiant effort from the bullpen and offense, the team fell short in a 6-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

Ildemaro Vargas continued his historic tear, going 4-for-4 to raise his league-leading batting average to .404. The Venezuelan infielder also set a new national record with a 27-game hit streak, surpassing Wilson Ramos for the longest by a Venezuelan-born player. His performance was the lone bright spot in an otherwise frustrating afternoon.

On the mound, things unraveled quickly for Gallen. The ace failed to make it out of the third inning, surrendering six earned runs on eight hits. It's a concerning trend for Arizona, which went from second in the league in starting pitcher outing length in 2025 to below average this season—a mark that only worsened after this outing.

The bullpen stepped up admirably, shutting down the Cubs after Gallen's early exit. The offense then mounted a late rally, scoring four runs in the eighth to pull within one. But with the tying run on base in the ninth, Vargas, Corbin Carroll, and Ketel Marte couldn't push the final run across, sealing the loss.

Elsewhere in the baseball world, MLB released its first power rankings update of the season, with many analysts praising the list for getting things right. Kiley McDaniel also dropped updated top-10 prospect rankings for every team, offering a fresh look at the game's rising stars.

In a sobering note from Japan, NPB umpire Takuto Kawakami remains unconscious in the hospital two weeks after being struck in the head by a flying bat during a game between Yakult and Yokohama. The incident occurred when Venezuelan batter José Osuna lost control of his swing, sending the bat into the umpire. Kawakami was stretchered off the field and has yet to regain consciousness.